Absurd Bird – Bites of the Deep South in the heart of East London

The Deep South is home to some of the best culinary exports America has to offer, so we couldn’t wait to check out Absurd Bird’s take on soul food in the heart of London’s trendy Shoreditch. The place proved a great escape from the cold, packed with diners and tunes blaring under the glow of festive lighting.

Starters of artichoke and spinach dip and a selection of giant Buttermilk, BBQ and Buffalo wings did more than sooth our hunger pangs. The dip was distinctive and creamy and the wings crunchy, flavorsome and fiery. This was a knockout starter that left us slightly concerned that our eyes had yet again exceeded our stomachs in size, which was confirmed on arrival of the mains!

Deciding on mains had proved a hard task, with a whole host of mouth watering chicken combinations on the menu. This included the signature Chicken and Waffles and the Fried Chicken Sliders. We opted for the Crispy Fried Chicken Burger and the Absurdly Hot Fried Chicken that came with a chili warning from our waitress.

The burger arrived stacked with crisp lettuce, fresh tomato and a giant piece of succulent fried chicken complete with its own gravitational pull. The Nashville style Hot Fried Chicken was like no other dish we’ve come across, sitting atop white bread and smothered in chili sauce that lured you in with flavor and left you breathing fire. A really spicy dish not to be underestimated and true to the heat of traditional Deep South cooking. As if there wasn’t enough spice on the table we opted for the Jalapeno Mac & Cheese served bubbling from the grill. We are constantly on the search for the best Mac & Cheese in London and have to say that this combination served with its own cheesy crunch seasoning made it a strong contender.

With a wide selection of cocktails and American beers on the menu we were spoilt for choice, with the Little Red Rooster cocktail and Roadie Session IPA on tap putting the spice at ease. Absurd Bird pulls no punches in feeding its diners and unfortunately we didn’t make it to dessert, although we will definitely be back to try the Peanut Butter Cheese Cake or Crack Pie, or both!

Make sure you check out their Christmas menu for more Deep South creations with a festive twist!

Thank you to the Absurd Bird team for hosting us, all opinions expressed are our own.